I'm already hated here, so I'm just gonna add to the pile of hate at this point. Remember that quote above? It's just as true today.
It's incredibly mindboggling how so many people on this board were against the Mullen hire, but now have completely changed their tune.
Based on what? His coaching hires? His recruiting? His attitude with the fans and the media? His excitement to be here?
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!
Are you all that freaking blind and naive?
I go by the eye test. And we have seen the eye test of what a Dan Mullen coached team does on the field for years.
Dan Mullen= 108 passing offense this season at Mississippi State. I thought the point was to hire a coach who can fix our offense, not more of the same.
NOTHING Dan Mullen does in the off-season is going to make me change my opinion even 1%. It was an absolutely terrible, boring and easy hire then and it still is.
Unless he proves it on the field (and believe me, he won't), Gator Nation is absolutely f--ked.
You people kill me. You really do.
Context matters.
Offenses ranked 98th, 82nd & 94th, passing offenses ranked 97th, 81st & 69th, 11-13 in conference and 2-1 in Liberty, Music City and BBVA Compass bowls aren’t impressive. Until you say “Vanderbilt - Franklin”. He did that vs. a very flimsy SECe and people generally and rightly recognized him as an excellent coach.
Mullen’s story at MSU is like that. His record and stats were at a perennial doormat playing in the toughest division in football - as Bama rounded into dominance, LSU always with top 5 talent, A&M coming into the league with Manziel, Freeze buying recruits, etc.
We also saw what a Dan Mullen offense with elite talent could do. And there’s no denying that history of QB development. Tebow is a freak but Alex Smith, Dak & Fitzgerald were projects he developed.
Most of my reservations about Mullen during the search had to do with his cockiness while at UF before. He didn’t show respect for our history and was defensive and even abrasive. But the guy can coach.
I’m seeing a different, engaging and wiser persona to go along with the drive and confidence.
Is there reason to doubt? Of course. But there’s a lot to encourage as well.